Welcome to the World, Baby
by Jaylonni Love
Summary: AU. In which TenTen threatens his life multiple times, there's a lot of screaming, and Neji becomes a father. Hizashi would be so proud. Rated T for TenTen.


_Welcome to the World, Baby_

 _By: Jaylonni Love_

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 **i do not own naruto.**

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It was a peaceful night in Konoha. The war that had ravaged the earth a little over a year ago was over. Families that lost loved ones were recovering still and new relationships were blossoming at every turn.

It was especially quiet behind the high walls of the Hyūga Compound. Clan members swept about the long corridors of the main house and branch houses on quiet feet, taking care of their nightly duties before they were set to retire for the evening. Yes, all was well until a piercing scream rocked the walls of one of the branch homes, putting everyone on alert. They knew what that scream meant. It meant that a new member of the clan would be born sometime in the early hours of the morrow. And somewhere, a deceased father was smiling down at his panicking son and disgruntled daughter-in-law.

As soon as he had heard the scream, he ran from the small office of his home to the main room he and his wife shared. Bursting into the door, he stared at his heavily pregnant wife who was struggling to get up from the bed and onto her feet. "TenTen, what's wrong? Is everything alright? Do I need to call Lady Tsunade or Sakura?"

"Baby," was the only coherent word he was able to make out as she staggered towards him clumsily, doing her best to keep herself upright.

He had completely missed the meaning behind that one simple word she spoke which led him to say, "What?"

He thought that his arm was going to be ripped off from her iron grip as she glared at him, repeating her earlier reply a bit slower than before, "Baby."

And then it dawned on him. His wife was going into labour. She was having their baby... right now! "Baby, shit, shit, shit, the baby. Um... shit."

Now, her husband was usually a very calm, collected man who could carry out an assassination mission without so much as batting an eye. So to see him like this almost made her laugh. Almost because her laughter was halted by the sharp pain that ran along the length of her spin, causing her to sink long, sharp nails into the skin of the arm she still had within her grasp. "Neji, we need to get to the hospital now! Pull yourself together and fucking get me there! You're a shinobi for fucks sake, fucking act like it!"

There was a glare thrown her way before he nodded, gently leading the pregnant woman out of the room after grabbing the bag they had put together a few days before.

...

"Neji I'm going to fucking kill you!"

Neji winced at the volume of her voice, seeing as how he was sitting right next to her. She didn't have to yell. He could have heard her if she had just said it. And, he didn't appreciate the fact that she said she would kill him. It wasn't entirely his fault she was pregnant. But he wasn't going to say anything out loud, especially since he was vaguely aware that he was beginning to lose all feeling in his right hand from his wife's iron grip. Who knew that the delicate fingers that let weapons fly gracefully from them would house such strength? He was pretty sure that by the end of this ordeal, he was probably going to have to have his hand amputated.

"Don't expect me to go through this shit ever again..." TenTen whined, shifting to try and make herself as comfortable as possible.

With his free hand, Neji pushed back her bangs that stuck to her forehead, brushing his lips against the warm skin lightly. "I'm sorry TenTen, I wouldn't even begin to comprehend the pain you're going through right now, but please, try to relax."

"You're damn right you wouldn't be able to understand. This shit hurts so much, I see why I'm an only child," TenTen mumbled as he grip on his hand slackened and her eyes fluttered closed before her breathing became even.

Neji waited, with baited breath, until he was sure that she had fallen asleep before pulling his hand away carefully. He then stood from his seat, busying himself re-situating her pillows that had been brought in for extra comfort, to be sure that she was as comfortable as possible while she slept. He knew that she was in pain, he could see it in her face. And he really wished he could take some of that pain away. He was so busy dotting over his wife that he didn't hear or notice the door opening before Sakura stepped in.

She stood there for a moment, completely silent as she watched Neji, a boy she had thought to be one of the most cold hearted shinobi to come from the Leaf Village at one point, taking care of his wife so tenderly as she slept. It was amazing how much time and the right person could change someone for the better. She secretly hoped that one day she would experience this too.

Figuring it was time to let her presence be known, she walked further into the room, calling out to the Hyūga. "How's she doing, Neji?"

"She's in pain but she finally fell asleep about ten minutes ago," Neji answered as he turned to look back at the pink haired doctor who had approached him. "After she screamed at me about how much pain she was in for four hours."

Sakura laughed lightly, looking down at the sleeping TenTen who had turned over on her side. Sakura had heard that, that was one of the most comfortable positions for a pregnant woman to sleep in. "Women in labour generally do that Neji. I had come to check and see how close she was to being ready to push but she's asleep." The pinkette placed a gentle hand on TenTen's shoulder before she moved to leave the room. "I'll come back and check on her when she's awake again."

"We'll be here," Neji confirmed as the pinkette left the room again.

...

"Neji I'm thirsty," TenTen complained, folding arms over her chest.

"You know you can't have any liquids or food TenTen," Neji said, trying hard not to succumb to her pouting face. "Sakura and Lady Tsunade were very clear about that when we got here. You'll just have to settle for the ice chips." At this he handed her the cup he was holding which she promptly refused. "TenTen please, don't be that way."

"I know but I'm thirsty!" TenTen whined once again as she flopped back on her pillows lightly, mindful of her throbbing back. "Can't you bend the rules for me just this once and give me a small cup of water? Please Neji? That's all I'm asking for."

"So I can get pummeled by two exceedingly strong women because I did something we were specifically told not to do?" Neji inquired, a slender brow irked high. "I don't think so; I'd like to meet my daughter thank you very much."

"You're no fun Neji," TenTen mumbled just as Tsunade and Sakura walked into the room. A slender digit was instantly pointing accusingly at her husband almost instantly as she began to speak once again. "Neji won't give me any water, Lady Tsunade. He keeps insisting that I eat these damned ice chips and I don't want that crap anymore!"

"Oh, is that so," Tsunade asked, feigning surprise before she smiled, nodding her head in approval as her student moved closer to check and see how far dilated the pregnant woman was. "Good, he's doing as I asked. You're not allowed to drink or eat anything unless it's the ice chips TenTen, you know that. I explained all of this when you first came in."

"You all are no fair, absolutely no fair at all," TenTen harrumphed before she grunted in pain as a rather sharp contraction wrecked her body. Her hand instantly found Neji's, who thankfully had already come to sit beside her again and got rid of that stupid cup of ice chips, squeezing the life out of it once again. "Oh Kami, get this damn baby out of me right fucking now!"

"That's why we're here," Sakura said looking up at the brunette. "You're ready to push, TenTen."

"Oh thank Kami," TenTen huffed as she flopped back on her pillows, allowing her limbs to be moved as she was prepped to give birth. Amber eyes cut over to her husband who sat dutifully at her side, her hand still grasping his tightly. She could tell he was a bit uncomfortable from the pressure she put on his bones by squeezing so hard, but at the moment she really didn't care. "You're staying right here, Neji Hyūga, since this was your fault to begin with."

Neji wanted to open his mouth and retort that he wasn't going anywhere, especially since she had such a vice grip on his hand, but he smartly kept his mouth shut instead. Besides, did she really think he was going to leave her when she needed his support the most? Not a chance.

"Alright TenTen," Tsunade spoke as she positioned herself between the brunette's legs. "On the count of three, I want you to push with all of your might. Now... one... two... three... push!"

TenTen squeezed his hand tighter as her teeth clenched together and she pushed with all the strength that she could muster.

"One, two, three, four, five, six, seven, eight, nine, ten," Sakura counted before signaling for TenTen to stop again for a brief rest. A few moments passed before Tsunade nodded her head again and the pinkette nodded to the heavily breathing woman. "Alright TenTen, push!"

...

"You're doing great TenTen, the baby's almost here," Tsunade encouraged the panting woman. "Now, we just need one more strong push on the count of three. One. Two. Three. Push!"

Her teeth clenched together as she pushed with all her might before the first wails of a baby girl filled the room. Exhausted and exceedingly happy, TenTen flopped back on the mound of pillows that surrounded her laughing. She had done it, she had finally given birth to their baby girl. Beside her, Neji fought to hold back the tears that threatened to spill from his eyes. He was a father today; he couldn't even begin to believe it. It probably wouldn't hit him until a few hours later.

"Congratulations Neji and TenTen, it's a girl," Sakura said as she cleaned the baby off before wrapping her in a plush pink blanket. Carefully, she walked around her mentor who was smiling happily at the young couple before placing the child in the new mother's arms. "You did wonderful."

Deciding that they would give them their privacy, the master and student duo left the room, closing the door softly behind them. However, Neji and TenTen hadn't noticed their retreat. They were too busy gushing over the little bundle that lay in TenTen's arms.

The bun haired kunoichi cooed at the little girl, who opened her eyes to reveal milky white depths that mirrored her fathers. However, upon closer inspection, one could see little flecks of amber floating about as well. "Hi honey." Amber eyes turned to meet white ones, a smile on her face as she traced the apples of her daughter's cheeks with her fingers lightly. "Oh my gosh Neji, she's beautiful! Look at her!"

The brown haired male smiled, leaning over to look at his wife and daughter. He still couldn't come to grasp the fact that he was officially a father now to such a beautiful little girl. It probably wouldn't hit him until a few hours later.

"She's like the spitting image of you," TenTen continued to gush over the child. "She's going to have such an issue with boys when she gets older. Ah... I still can't believe I'm her mother."

Neji chuckled, wiping the sweat from his wife's forehead, "I don't think there's anyone more fit to be her mother than you are, TenTen. You did amazing, thank you for bringing about a new life for us to cherish for the rest of our days. I love you."


End file.
